Students Challenge Themselves in Grueling Putnam Math Competition

On December 2, 2023, undergraduate students from across North America gathered to participate in the prestigious William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition, a challenging six-hour exam that tests not only mathematical knowledge but also problem-solving creativity. Many participants, aware of the competition’s difficulty, were prepared for the likelihood of solving few, if any, of the twelve rigorous problems presented.

The Challenge of the Putnam

Taking place at Memorial University in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, the event attracted students like Gavin Hull, a fourth-year undergraduate who expressed enthusiasm despite the daunting nature of the exam. “It’s me and the problems and three hours,” Hull stated before the first segment of the exam, eager to tackle the challenges ahead.

Now in its 86th year, the Putnam competition is known for pushing the limits of undergraduate students’ mathematical capabilities. Greta Panova, a professor at the University of Southern California and part of the team that developed this year’s exam problems, described the event as a test of “intrinsic mathematical ability and creativity that is not so easy to learn.”

The nature of the problems is distinct from typical classroom exercises; they often resemble complex puzzles that require innovative approaches to solve. As Hull prepared, he dedicated hundreds of hours to practice, reviewing previous exams and engaging with textbooks, aiming to surpass his previous high score of 25 points.

Friendly Rivalries and Team Spirit

Participants also shared a camaraderie that resembles that of an athletic competition. At the University of Toronto, Ignacio Uriarte-Tuero, a mathematics professor, noted the friendly rivalry between institutions, particularly with the University of Waterloo, which consistently produces top Canadian performers in the Putnam. “It’s very similar to a sports competition,” Uriarte-Tuero remarked, highlighting the unpredictable nature of such contests.

Similarly, at McGill University, Sergey Norin described a competitive spirit between McGill and the Université de Montréal, recalling a time when the latter outperformed McGill, prompting playful banter among the students. “One year, when (Université de Montréal) did better than us, they were gloating,” Norin said, laughing.

After the exam, Hull reported that he had submitted solutions for five problems, a personal best in his experience with the competition. The official results, which are typically released a few months after the event, will provide a clearer picture of how he and fellow competitors fared. Last year, nearly 4,000 students participated, with 61 percent scoring three points or fewer out of a total of 120.

The top score of 90 out of 120 highlights the exam’s intensity and the exceptional talent required to excel. Hull, reflecting on the day’s experience, humorously noted the shared struggle among participants, describing it as a “kind of trauma bond” with fellow competitors. “But it’s fun,” he concluded. “I love problem solving. I like puzzles. And this is kind of the ultimate puzzle.”

This report underscores the unique blend of intellectual rigor and competitive spirit that defines the Putnam competition, a hallmark event in the academic calendar for aspiring mathematicians.